To train young minds in rational philosophy - for the Philosophy Olympiad, and moreover for Life. My notes and discussions on various topics from Philosophy, Education, Astronomy, Physics & Programming as means to the above-stated end.

Pages

Jan 8, 2012

Stage II - Critical Thoughts

Essay (10 Mk)

Given below are three quotes of certain philosophers on different subjects. Choose any one of them to write an essay of about a few pages of your notebook. The essay should not only explain the given view, but should either support it or oppose it with examples and logic. You do not need to have knowledge of the Philosopher’s work, but rather should be able to grasp the central idea and analyze the different aspects of the statement. Usually one goes about establishing the meaning and relevance of each phrase/clause separately and then sums up the whole argument. Your coherence, reasoning and depth of thought are most important. For more detailed instructions, refer http://philo.abhinav.ac.in/InPOInstructions.htm

i. Art is parasitic on life, just as criticism is parasitic on art. - Harry S Truman

ii. We should not say that one man’s hour is not worth another man’s hour, but rather that one man during an hour is worth just as much as another man during an hour. Time is everything, man is nothing: he is at the most time’s carcass. - Karl Marx, Das Capital

iii. Is Man one of God’s blunders? Or is God one of Man’s blunders? - Friedrich Nietzsche

iv. An object as separate from its cause is not perceptible, and the cause of the object as separate from the object itself cannot be perceived. – Nagarjun, Madhyamik Sutra, Ch. IV